At some point we will have lanes dedicated to driverless vehicles. They'll be much more efficient. Likely higher speed limits.

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Driverless cars and car sharing type service is the key. If cars are available on demand at the ends of the bus route, then mass transit becomes more appealing.

Plus, if a car is available when you need it through a car sharing service, then you may see decrease in car ownership as people choose to only have cars as needed.

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I've seen those shared smart cars downtown for years. Folks I know that live down here have access, but consider them expensive for the service.

Also agree that having some of those near a bus stop or rail depot (like the north side of the convention center) would be good.

But car sharing doesn't help daily commuters such as myself.

And still unsure how driverless cars would reduce traffic.

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Think longer term as these ideas come together. Shared driverless cars.

User pays a subscription and/or a per usage charge, when they need a car, they request it and the driverless car picks them up and drives them where they want to go. Essentially uber with self driving cars.

Now imagine, someone has an option to take mass transit to/from work, and has access to a car whenever they need it, whatever kind of vehicle they need. And then people decide I don't really need to own a car, making a car payment, paying for gas, paying for insurance, paying for maintenance, so they just stop having a car altogether. It reduces one of the largest barriers to mass transit for people that don't have to use it. They still have the freedom of having a personal vehicle at both ends of the line, but without driving through rush hour.


Alternatively, consider a disruptor to public transportation. Metro buses operate with a fixed schedule and fixed stops. Often with complicated paths requiring switching bus lines. Plus, they aren't exactly luxury. What if someone came along and provided an app and a "bus fleet". Probably smaller than public transit buses, and nicer. You let the system know where you are and where you need to go, a "bus" comes and picks you up and takes you where you want to go, only, there are other people in the vehicle with you and maybe you make a few stops to pick up drop off along the way.

Eassentually, self driving car can be disruptive in ways that may result in less car ownership and more people using shared transportation.

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Driverless cars and car sharing type service is the key. If cars are available on demand at the ends of the bus route, then mass transit becomes more appealing.

Plus, if a car is available when you need it through a car sharing service, then you may see decrease in car ownership as people choose to only have cars as needed.

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I've seen those shared smart cars downtown for years. Folks I know that live down here have access, but consider them expensive for the service.

Also agree that having some of those near a bus stop or rail depot (like the north side of the convention center) would be good.

But car sharing doesn't help daily commuters such as myself.

And still unsure how driverless cars would reduce traffic.

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Think longer term as these ideas come together. Shared driverless cars.

User pays a subscription and/or a per usage charge, when they need a car, they request it and the driverless car picks them up and drives them where they want to go. Essentially uber with self driving cars.

Now imagine, someone has an option to take mass transit to/from work, and has access to a car whenever they need it, whatever kind of vehicle they need. And then people decide I don't really need to own a car, making a car payment, paying for gas, paying for insurance, paying for maintenance, so they just stop having a car altogether. It reduces one of the largest barriers to mass transit for people that don't have to use it. They still have the freedom of having a personal vehicle at both ends of the line, but without driving through rush hour.


Alternatively, consider a disruptor to public transportation. Metro buses operate with a fixed schedule and fixed stops. Often with complicated paths requiring switching bus lines. Plus, they aren't exactly luxury. What if someone came along and provided an app and a "bus fleet". Probably smaller than public transit buses, and nicer. You let the system know where you are and where you need to go, a "bus" comes and picks you up and takes you where you want to go, only, there are other people in the vehicle with you and maybe you make a few stops to pick up drop off along the way.

Eassentually, self driving car can be disruptive in ways that may result in less car ownership and more people using shared transportation.

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I think you're going to need a few generations of people to die out before this view has a remote chance. Cars, and the freedom they give, are too much a part of Americans' lives for average Joe to give them up. They are also a status symbol. That isn't changing any time soon.

And then you have tons of guys like me who drive big heavy trucks for work, often times towing large heavy trailers.

I have no doubt automation will change they way we move about. I just dont think it is going to happen as quickly as most think (unless it is forced through govt or because ford/chevy/etc., force a market change)

I, for one, will always choose to drive myself, own my own vehicle, work on my own vehicle, etc. Driving is, in a strange way, my moment of zen.

You don't need everyone to abandon their cars to see a meaningful impact on rush hour traffic. Even a small percent reduction can have a significant impact.

It must be at least enough to overcome any growth the city experiences.

I would also contend that not many people care to share a ride. That option is already available and terribly underutilized.

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Driverless cars and car sharing type service is the key. If cars are available on demand at the ends of the bus route, then mass transit becomes more appealing.

Plus, if a car is available when you need it through a car sharing service, then you may see decrease in car ownership as people choose to only have cars as needed.

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I've seen those shared smart cars downtown for years. Folks I know that live down here have access, but consider them expensive for the service.

Also agree that having some of those near a bus stop or rail depot (like the north side of the convention center) would be good.

But car sharing doesn't help daily commuters such as myself.

And still unsure how driverless cars would reduce traffic.

---

Think longer term as these ideas come together. Shared driverless cars.

User pays a subscription and/or a per usage charge, when they need a car, they request it and the driverless car picks them up and drives them where they want to go. Essentially uber with self driving cars.

Now imagine, someone has an option to take mass transit to/from work, and has access to a car whenever they need it, whatever kind of vehicle they need. And then people decide I don't really need to own a car, making a car payment, paying for gas, paying for insurance, paying for maintenance, so they just stop having a car altogether. It reduces one of the largest barriers to mass transit for people that don't have to use it. They still have the freedom of having a personal vehicle at both ends of the line, but without driving through rush hour.


Alternatively, consider a disruptor to public transportation. Metro buses operate with a fixed schedule and fixed stops. Often with complicated paths requiring switching bus lines. Plus, they aren't exactly luxury. What if someone came along and provided an app and a "bus fleet". Probably smaller than public transit buses, and nicer. You let the system know where you are and where you need to go, a "bus" comes and picks you up and takes you where you want to go, only, there are other people in the vehicle with you and maybe you make a few stops to pick up drop off along the way.

Eassentually, self driving car can be disruptive in ways that may result in less car ownership and more people using shared transportation.

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Me calling a car or a bus to take me to work and then bring me home seems like it would double the trips to and from my house. I would have the convenience of not having to drive to work, but it wouldn't alleviate traffic. In my mind it would make it worse.

Hate to derail this self driving car thread but my thoughts on the transportation bond. For the cost it doesn't feel like we are getting much. I have a feeling it will pass though.

I just hate to give the city a 720 million credit card. I understand it failed passing smaller bonds but come on ...720 million might work?

Any ideas on where I can see specifics as to what's being spent on what and how much. Most of my googling turns up vague numbers.

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I just hate to give the city a 720 million credit card. I understand it failed passing smaller bonds but come on ...720 million might work?

Any ideas on where I can see specifics as to what's being spent on what and how much. Most of my googling turns up vague numbers.

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Thought there was a good write up in the community impact and I'm sure austin business journal has broken it down.

Here is the Community Impact piece.

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If approved, the $720 million mobility bond would allocate $482 million to implement the cities 7 completed corridor plans, $101 million for regional projects and $137 million to implement other existing master plans for sidewalks, urban trails, bicycle facilities and Vision Zero as well as make other capital improvements.

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Details on the corridor plans can be found on austintexas.gov, such as the $165M North Lamar/Burnet Rd Corridor plan. Other projects include:

• $17M to expand Parmer Ln between SH45 and 1431
• $5.5 M Anderson Ln from Spicewood to 183
• $46M to build in interchange at 360/Westlake Dr
• $7.5M 2222/620 intersection
• $17M expand Spicewood Springs Rd between Mesa and 360

$7 million to fix 620/2222 doesn't seem enough, but what do I know. Just glad to see something might get done.

$46M to build in interchange at 360/Westlake Dr

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$7 million to fix 620/2222 doesn't seem enough, but what do I know. Just glad to see something might get done.

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My understanding is they want to do a flyover but they can't because the BCCP owns some of the land needed to make it happen.

Any plans to fix the quality of the roads on Guadalupe and north Lamar? I feel like I'm going to need a new car after each of the trips.

I wish this could just be a 500 million bond to fix the road issues listed. Most are things that should have been done years ago. They aren't major fixes, just routine upgrades for a growing city.

The Guadalupe project is already underway...
http://austintexas.gov/guadalupe.

The details on N Lamar are linked in my post above.

Thanks

Looked at the community impact article. Seems like they should break this up into separate plans for the corridors, the sidewalks, the bike lanes, and the off-corridor stuff.

That's the challenge with the representative districts that City Hall is now divided into. They only way to get the bond on the ballot is to throw everyone a bone, and even then you had one no vote and three abstentions. Democracy is terribly flawed but still the best we got. The voters will ultimately decide.

Takes a lot of balls for city council to kick out two successful companies that provide a great transportation service, and then a couple of months later want to raise our taxes because they say our transportation sucks here.

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$46M to build in interchange at 360/Westlake Dr

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Is that even inside of City Limit?

Yes it is within the city limits (most of Davenport Ranch is within the limits). In fact, more of the 360 corridor south of the river is within the limits than is outside of it.

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Here is the Community Impact piece.

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If approved, the $720 million mobility bond would allocate $482 million to implement the cities 7 completed corridor plans, $101 million for regional projects and $137 million to implement other existing master plans for sidewalks, urban trails, bicycle facilities and Vision Zero as well as make other capital improvements.

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Details on the corridor plans can be found on austintexas.gov, such as the $165M North Lamar/Burnet Rd Corridor plan. Other projects include:

• $17M to expand Parmer Ln between SH45 and 1431
• $5.5 M Anderson Ln from Spicewood to 183
• $46M to build in interchange at 360/Westlake Dr
• $7.5M 2222/620 intersection
• $17M expand Spicewood Springs Rd between Mesa and 360

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So south Austin gets to help pay for all of this, but we aren't going to address any roads in south Austin?

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$46M to build in interchange at 360/Westlake Dr

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Is that even inside of City Limit?

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I wonder how much the overpass will help. That intersection is horrible and needs this, but I'm afraid the traffic jam will just get pushed down to the light at Courtyard

What South Austin roads need help, other than Mopac? I feel like most of the bottlenecks are in North Austin

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What South Austin roads need help, other than Mopac? I feel like most of the bottlenecks are in North Austin

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Slaughter Lane has bottlenecks all over in the mornings/afternoons. Wm. Cannon is the same, although I "feel" the ones on Slaughter more often on my commute.

I actually think much of Slaughter's backups are due to horrible timing on the lights (although... knock on wood... seems like this week with school starting that the lights are doing better with their sequencing).

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$46M to build in interchange at 360/Westlake Dr

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Is that even inside of City Limit?

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I wonder how much the overpass will help. That intersection is horrible and needs this, but I'm afraid the traffic jam will just get pushed down to the light at Courtyard

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Every road project is a whackamole. It's compounded when the moles have been put in cans and continually kicked down the road.

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What South Austin roads need help, other than Mopac? I feel like most of the bottlenecks are in North Austin

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35 & Mopac need to be connected with a freeway between around the 45 area.

KT 90 - If your solution is streamlining the lights won't change much. It just simply changes where things get backed up.

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What South Austin roads need help, other than Mopac? I feel like most of the bottlenecks are in North Austin

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Slaughter Lane has bottlenecks all over in the mornings/afternoons. Wm. Cannon is the same, although I "feel" the ones on Slaughter more often on my commute.

I actually think much of Slaughter's backups are due to horrible timing on the lights (although... knock on wood... seems like this week with school starting that the lights are doing better with their sequencing).

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Slaughter Lane at Mopac intersection and Wm. Cannon at I35 are both being addressed with previous passed Bond. Slaughter Lane at I35 is in serious need of help but it really won't do much good until I35 back-up problem is solved.

I'd say the same about 360 and Westlake drive. So people heading north on 360 fly over Westlake and then are stuck at 360 bridge and Courtyard?

What good does an interchange at 360 and Westlake do when we know that the NIMBYs will never turn that in to a legit freeway?

Also what the **** is so hard about going 60 on 360?

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What good does an interchange at 360 and Westlake do when we know that the NIMBYs will never turn that in to a legit freeway?

Also what the **** is so hard about going 60 on 360?

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It's the olds and stop lights. 620 is worse.

lights on 360 is the problem. If the folks in westlake and surrounding area would allow a freeway to take place of existing traffic-light bottlenecked 360 (they are worried about traffic noise, etc), then 360 traffic will improve tremendously.

There are too many spots on 360 in Westlake where there is not enough space for the right-of-way required by a controlled-access highway. It won't be a freeway/tollway. The land acquisition costs taking out high-dollar homes or existing office space will be too high. Look at the existing development between Stoneridge and 2244. Price the values of the homes in Parkstone, Woods of Westlake Heights, and Woods of Westlake, or the costs of the office complexes that straddle 360 on both sides in front of Lost Creek, or just south of Westbank.